Issued by
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Purpose

NIMHD recently published RFA-MD-18-006, "Time-Sensitive Research on Health Risk and Resilience after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," that emphasized the health of individuals who remained in these territories after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The purpose of this Notice is to highlight NIMHD's interest in receiving grant applications studying the health of Puerto Ricans and US Virgin Islanders who have relocated to the US mainland after the hurricanes through additional FOAs.

NIMHD is interested in supporting multi-level, multi-domain research to understand and address the unique needs of these displaced populations (see the NIMHD Research Framework, https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/overview/research-framework.html, for examples of health determinants of interest). Areas of interest encouraged through this Notice include, but are not limited to observational, intervention, or health services studies on the following:

Physical and mental health impacts related to life disruptions caused by the hurricanes and subsequent relocation to the US mainland, including those related to housing, work, school, family, social support networks, and health care.

Physical and mental health impacts related to adjustments to living in the US mainland, including unemployment, financial insecurity, social isolation, acculturative stress, and language barriers.

Healthcare needs of relocated individuals and the response of healthcare systems to accommodate the influx of these individuals.

Possible funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) or their re-issues that can be used include but are not limited to the following:

PAR-18-286, Health Services Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01)PAR-18-287, Health Services Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R21)PAR-16-355, Social Epigenomics Research Focused on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01)PAR-16-356, Social Epigenomics Research Focused on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R21)PAR-17-151, Mechanisms of Disparities in Chronic Liver Diseases and Cancer (R01)PAR-17-150, Mechanisms of Disparities in Chronic Liver Diseases and Cancer (R21)PAR-17-234, Mechanisms and Consequences of Sleep Disparities in the U.S. (R01)PAR-17-235, Mechanisms and Consequences of Sleep Disparities in the U.S. (R21)
Applications can also be submitted to the following FOAs, which specify that, residents of US territories (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) who migrate to the US mainland are also considered as immigrants.